Thursday's ETF To Watch: Dow Jones U.S. Consumer Goods Index Fund

By Jarred Cummans:As earnings season draws to a close, investors will soon be forced to face international affairs head on. For the time being, earnings reports from companies like McDonald’s and other blue chip firms have done well to keep our minds off of the looming debt crisis that has been ailing the euro zone for quite some time. But before these issues are pulled out of the doldrums, there are still a few big name firms that will be reporting earnings this week that will more than likely dominate the market [see also The Ten Commandments of Commodity Investing]. Today will see the fourth quarter earnings results from Philip Morris International (PM). Philip Morris is an international cigarette and tobacco company that spun off of Altria Group (MO) in 2008. The firm is now home to a decent market share of the world’s tobacco sales. Though tobacco has become a moreComplete Story »

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By Jarred Cummans:As we dive further into earnings season, investors will do their best to focus on relatively strong U.S. data, as opposed to decisions by the Fed, the Greek debt crisis, and other factors hindering the recovery. On Tuesday, investors saw Apple (AAPL) crush market estimates with their quarterly earnings. The shares soared the most in three years as iPhone and iPad sales doubled that of last year’s holiday season.

By Joseph Cafariello:
* Note to reader: All data are as of the close of Monday, October 6, 2014, and are still relevant for the purpose of the comparison, producing precisely the same results.
The Cigarette industry in the U.S. has been floundering since the start of the economic recovery after the 2008-09 financial crisis, and with good reason: large caps are more sluggish on a bull run than smaller caps.

Philip Morris International Inc. (PM) announced today that it will close its sole cigarette manufacturing plant in Australia, in a move to end production in the country by the end of the year. After 60 years of operations in the country, the maker of Marlboro cigarettes said that it would lay off around 180 workers at its production facility located in Moorabbin, a suburb just outside of Melbourne, the capital of the state of Victoria.

RICHMOND, Va. — Philip Morris International Inc. said Wednesday it plans to enter the growing electronic cigarette business late next year and accelerate the launch of its reduced-risk products.
The seller of Marlboro and other cigarette brands overseas is joining many tobacco companies venturing into smokeless tobacco and other nicotine products to diversify beyond the declining traditional cigarette business as tax increases, health concerns, smoking bans and stigma cut into demand.

ByRupert Hargreaves:Since Altria (NYSE:MO) split from international tobacco giant, Philip Morris (NYSE:PM), Phillip Morris has been the growth company. Responsible for all tobacco sales outside of the US that previously came under Altria's umbrella.

By Gregory Vousvounis:Altria (MO) is the proud owner of the all famous Malboro cigarette brand, and it's in the leading position in both the cigarette and the smokeless tobacco market. It owns a 27.1% interest in SABMiller, the world's second-largest brewer, and it has also the number-two spot in the machine-made cigar market.